Christmas Hamper Ideas

[opi2kenopi]

Wow, what a great idea JD.  I love it!  Perhaps my in-laws might get a ferrero rochere one from me this year!

[Cornish Cream]

A big thank you for explaining how you constructed the tree Judy.I can look in my nearest hobby craft shop for the cone and the charity shop for old saucers to spray.I think it's a great idea, gets people like me thinking "how did they do that".

[I Love Bimby!]

Looks fantastic Judy! What a great idea. I think DD would love helping make those!

[judydawn]

And eating them after Christmas ILB 

[Cornish Cream]

I've been sharing your tree making skills Judy with a friend today.She thought it a great idea. 

[judydawn]

That's great CC, the more Christmas ideas we can share around the world the better I say.

[andiesenji]

I'm getting ready to take a run to the produce market to pick up a crate of extra-large navel oranges they ordered for me so I can start on my annual big batch of candied orange peel. 

If y'all haven't visited my blog, I have the super easy way of removing the peel, illustrated in photos, on a page with the title "How to peel an orange --" 

This method works with grapefruit and lemons and some other citrus.   Not all citrus can be nicely candied.  Turkish limes (the seedless kind) turn an ugly gray and some tangerines have peel that is just too tough and leathery.  I do occasionally candy the Minneola Tangelos and the Royal mandarins but they are not always available before Christmas.  These both have a thicker, more tender peel. 

[I Love Bimby!]

And eating them after Christmas ILB 

Yes, that too JD - SIGH.... it's likely that we'll eat plenty too....

Thanks Andi for the reminder of the candied peel. Not sure if I'll get time for it this year though 

[cookie1]

I was just spending a couple of minutes catching up on my BBC Good Food newsletters and saw this. They are not TMX recipes but if you are stuck for ideas it may help you.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/christmas/christmas-gifts/?utm_source=Week%20208%20-%2017%2F11%2F10%20-%20christmas%20section&utm_medium=email&utm_content=More%20homemade%20gifts...&utm_campaign=Week%20208%20-%2017%2F11%2F10%20-%20christmas%20section

I put this elswhere too but added a copy here if it is of use to anyone.

[AMH]

Lots of great ideas in this thread!

Judy, you are so creative-that looks fantastic.  What a great idea!

I was thinking of making the christmas shortbread and lime/macadamia fudge for the carers who look after my DD1 at creche.  The only thing is, we are not allowed to bring in food for the kids to eat as there are some kids with severe nut allergies (like my daughter has to peanuts) and I would feel horrible if I put nuts in and one of the kids ate the carer's gift!

I figure I can probably sub craisins for the macadamias in the fudge but I suspect the christmas shortbread needs the pistachios to give it the right texture.  Has anyone else tried either recipe without nuts?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!  I am going to order tags or stickers when they are on sale for next year-in addition to vistaprint there is snapfish.com.au to check out too-they have regular discounts and send you vouchers when you buy something through them.

[judydawn]

Bumping this one for newcomers.  Feel free to add more suggestions.

[fundj&e]

thanks JD will start reading it soon

[Vivaroo]

Thanks JD that's awesome.

[Cuilidh]

Thanks for bumping this thread, JD.  I have a terrible inferiority complex about giving someone a present I made - I'm happy giving away things I make during the year, ie. jams, lemon butter, biscuits, etc., but giving someone a present I made specifically as a present is a big problem for me.  I will have to trawl through this thread a few times to try and get some confidence to make some gifts.  Last year I did do a couple of chocolate salamis as gifts, but was very self conscious about that.

[fundj&e]

i love given food hampers to new mums